Carbon tax top of the new Senate agenda – as it happened

Twelve senators are sworn in today and their first order of business is axing the carbon tax. Meanwhile, the Abbott government comes under fire for handing over asylum seekers to Sri Lanka. As it happened

Palmer United party leader Clive Palmer arrives for an early morning meeting before the first day of sitting for the new Senate. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the Guardian

Carbon tax top of the new Senate agenda – as it happened

Twelve senators are sworn in today and their first order of business is axing the carbon tax. Meanwhile, the Abbott government comes under fire for handing over asylum seekers to Sri Lanka. As it happened

Monday 7 July 2014 05.11 EDT
First published on Sunday 6 July 2014 18.40 EDT

10.11am BST

Australian political wrap

Clive Palmer has blown a huge new hole in the Abbott government’s budget – saying he will vote against Coalition plans to abolish the schoolkids’ bonus, the low income superannuation guarantee and a bonus for welfare recipients – at a total cost of more than $9bn. Palmer is also demanding the government back his “dormant” emissions trading scheme to win support for its Direct Action climate legislation, a scheme Palmer had previously declared to be “dead”.

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has touched down in Canberra and will address the parliament tomorrow. He will also lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial before attending parliament and is expected to sign the Australia-Japan trade agreement.

After a series of procedural votes, the senate is inching towards a final debate on the carbon tax repeal with the support of Palmer United Party senators.

The day started with the swearing in of 12 new senators while Liberal Stephen Parry was voted in as president. Six of the new senators are on the crossbenches.

Shinzo Abe has touched down in Canberra, greeted by trade minister Andrew Robb. He will sign the Japan-Australia trade agreement during his visit and address a joint sitting of the parliament tomorrow.

In other words, they are now debating whether they can have a debate on the carbon tax repeal.

Slight change to my last post.

Updated at 9.25am BST

9.18am BST

PUP senators Lazarus, Lambie and Wang are voting with the government, as are Leyonjhelm, Day and Muir.

Xenophon is voting with the Greens and Labor. We are yet to find Madigan.

9.13am BST

All eyes are on the PUP senators who voted against the government this morning.

9.13am BST

The senate is voting now on the government's suspension of standing orders. If the government wins, it will bring on the debate for the carbon tax repeal bills.

9.04am BST

So to be clear what is happening here....

The senate had been due to debate the carbon repeal bills on July 14 when the environment committee was due to report on its investigation of the legislation.

But the government wants the bring on the committee's reports a week early.

So earlier today, the government took two procedural votes, one to see if they could bring on the debate "without formalities". The second was to bring the bills together as a package.

Now Clive Palmer had told the media on the weekend that he supported the government move.

We will support the government’s motion to bring the carbon tax out of committee to a vote tomorrow, Palmer said at the weekend.

But this morning, while those procedural votes were going on, there was some confusion amongst new senators about what was going on. Which is completely understandable.

(Who isn't confused?)

Mitch Fifield was running over to the Palmer United Party senators, trying to shepherd the senators through the vote. Dio Wang appeared to want to consult with Glenn Lazarus, but had to stay in his seat for the vote, as directed by the Senate president.

So the PUP senators and Muir voted with Labor, the Greens and Nick Xenophon.

This may have been as a result of the maxim:

If you want an answer right now, it has to be no.

Just now, the government is bringing on the suspension of standing orders. It appears the PUP senators maybe happier to vote with the government, though who would predict what will happen next?

Updated at 9.10am BST

8.46am BST

Senator Penny Wong says its the second time the government has sought to up-end the rules to bring on the carbon tax repeal bills debate early.

Simply so the government could get to debate the bills a week early.

8.45am BST

Government is moving again to suspend standing orders to push the carbon tax repeal package through.

Because the debate was interrupted for question time, the government has had to start at the beginning. Assistant social services minister Mitch Fifield is speaking to it.

8.36am BST

The debate over commonwealth cleaners pay has run its course and the senate is now onto tabling of documents.

We are still waiting for the resumption of debate on the carbon tax repeal package.

7.52am BST

Back to the cleaning debate. Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells has told the senate it is a fiction that the government is cutting cleaners' pay rates. They are simply creating a "level playing field" which stops some commonwealth cleaners getting a higher hourly rate than other commonwealth cleaners.

Updated at 7.52am BST

7.49am BST

Earlier today, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson sought to suspend standing orders to discuss the effect of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. The Greens were the only ones to support the motion, as Mike Bowers photo shows.

The Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is expected in later today. Justin McCurry has done a backgrounder for Guardian which may fill in some of the gaps on what to expect from this visit.

Shinzo Abe could be forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief as he left Tokyo on Sunday for a weeklong visit to New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea, during which he will sign free trade and defence technology deals with Tony Abbott and and become the first Japanese prime minister to address parliament in Canberra.

In Abbott, Abe has found a kindred spirit and a source of friendship that is palpably absent from his testy relationships with the leaders of China and South Korea.

Abe may be one of Japan’s most peripatetic prime ministers since the war, but his unapologetic brand of nationalism has taken Tokyo’s ties with Beijing and Seoul to their lowest point in decades. At the same time, Abe’s mission to create a more robust military has been welcomed by Australia and other countries in the region who share his concerns about China’s swift, and opaque, military build-up.

Updated at 7.41am BST

7.37am BST

Labor's Claire Moore is now moving an urgency motion to debate budget changes which cuts the wages of cleaners on commonwealth contracts.

The senate has yet to come back to the carbon tax repeal debate which was subject to a suspension of standing orders prior to senate question time. It is looking increasingly unlikely that the senate will get back to the repeal today.

7.17am BST

Richard Ackland has joined Guardian Australia and today, in his first column, he goes straight to the point on one of the political stories of the day - the forced transfer of asylum seekers to Sri Lanka.

Australia knows the situation on the ground in post civil-war Sri Lanka. It said so itself in November 2012 when it called for the elimination of "all cases of abductions and disappearances ... abuse, torture or mistreatment by police and security forces". That was expressed as part of the UN's regular human rights reviews.

In this context it's heartening that the French have come to the rescue with a word that expresses what in English requires a multiplicity of words – "refoulement".

Refoulement is the forcing back of people to their place of origin where they are expected to face persecution or threats to life and liberty on the basis of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group.

This is precisely what the Australian border protection authorities are engaged in right now.

Clive Palmer appears to have blown a huge new hole in the Abbott government’s budget – saying he will vote against Coalition plans to abolish the schoolkids’ bonus, the low income superannuation guarantee and a bonus for welfare recipients – at a total cost of more than $9bn.

Palmer is also demanding the government back his “dormant” emissions trading scheme to win support for its Direct Action climate legislation, a scheme Palmer had previously declared to be “dead”.

Updated at 7.09am BST

6.53am BST

Sarah Hanson-Young has flagged the introduction of a motion to condemn the government for handing over the asylum seekers to the Sri Lankan government. SHY is talking to the crossbenchers about the motion and she has invoked the Dark Lord for moral support.

It's more like Mr Morrison acting like Voldemort than doing anything that helps these vulnerable people or abides by the rule of law. It is evil, it is wrong, and the lives of the children are now at very high risk.

Which has inspired a recasting of the whole Harry Potter cast on Twitter.

The Hammer films were gothic horror flicks in the 1950s, involving Frankenstein, The Mummy and Dracula, among others.

Updated at 6.54am BST

6.32am BST

The senate is currently engaging in a ritual unknown in the lower house called "motions to take note of answers". This is where the senators who ask the government questions get to have another go at the issue in hand.

Senator Sam Dastyari during the first question time in the new senate. Photograph: Mike Bowers

6.20am BST

A little slip that says a lot.

At the beginning of every question time, the government leader must give a list of which ministers are away and who will be taking their questions. The "ministerial responsibilities" list is provided to the president or the speaker.

In the senate today, Eric Abetz wrote to the president that he would be representing:

The Minister for Immigration and Detention.

It seems the ministerial role has morphed from the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.

Updated at 6.20am BST

6.14am BST

Reports are emerging that senator Jacqui Lambie has met with the prime minister less than a week after she called him a "political psychopath" for "parading" his daughters around.

5.59am BST

DLP senator John Madigan, in front of new senators Bob Day, David Leyonjhelm and Nick Xenophon. Photograph: Mike Bowers

Both of whom have served this nation and the chamber will be the richer for these two new senators coming in here today.

5.53am BST

Red tape pushes up the cost of advice.﻿

Finance minister Mathias Cormann. Photograph: Mike Bowers

5.50am BST

Cormann on FOFA:

We understand on this side of the Parliament that not every bit of red tape is good for consumers.

5.48am BST

Labor asks finance minister Cormann: why has this acting assistant treasurer made a regulation winding back future of financial advice reforms despite clear evidence consumers need protection from financial advice motivated by profit and not their best interests?

This is the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) legislation.

We are keeping all of the consumer protections that matter. We are keeping the requirement for financial advisers to act in the best interests of their clients. We are keeping the ban on conflicted remuneration, despite the dishonest assertions made by various people on the other side.

Updated at 5.48am BST

5.46am BST

A government question to assistant minister for social services Mitch Fifield: Can the minister inform the Senate how the government's budget delivers on promises to support Australian families, both now and into the future?

This goes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Fifield says the Labor government applied an efficiency dividend to the NDIS and the current government has removed it, adding $45m back into the system.

5.40am BST

Madigan follows up with: can the Minister outline whether the number of 457 visa holders working in the manufacturing sector has increased or decreased?

There has been a decrease in the primary 457 visa holders in the manufacturing sector. The number of sub-class 457 visa holders working in the manufacturing sector as at 30June 2014 was 6,891. This is a decrease of 152 persons compared to the 30 June 2013 when there were 7,043 sub-class 457 visa holders working in the manufacturing sector in Australia. Under the former Labor Government, the sub-class 457 visa program grew from around 68,400 primary visa holders at the end of June 2010 to more than 110,000.

5.38am BST

DLP senator John Madigan asks minister Ronaldson: Mindful of Australia's dismal laws in relation to dumping, labelling, intellectual property and 457 visas, can the Minister outline how much the Australian government forecast jobs in the Australian manufacturing sector will increase or decrease over the course of this financial year?

A projection from 2013-2018 by industry indicates that employment in the manufacturing sector will decrease from 934,100 persons to 893,000 persons in 2018,r reflecting global trends and a move from traditional industries. This is a decrease of 4.3% over five years or a decrease of 3.86% per year. This would give us an estimated employment projection of approximately 917,000 in 2015.

Updated at 5.40am BST

5.35am BST

A government question to human services minister Marise Payne: Can the Minister outline some of the factors putting upward pressure on the cost of childcare?

Payne says the national quality framework imposed by Labor introduced around 1,000 of laws and regulations and guidelines.

A report by the national regulator into the national quality framework found the ongoing cost to administer the 1,000 pages of new laws and regulations was upwards of $140,000 a year for a long daycare service with 75 places and 15 staff.

Payne is lighting the match for the bonfire of red tape.

5.30am BST

Christine Milne asks Eric Abetz: Is the Minister aware that in anticipation of his country being submerged by rising sea levels and storm surges due to climate change, Kiribati has purchased land in Fiji for $8 .7m to relocate his people to avoid a humanitarian crisis. If you are aware of that, how does the Government justify its feeble 5% emissions reduction target and it's refusal to commit climate finance to the small island states as they are displaced now?

Abetz tells the senate that Direct Action would deliver the five per cent reduction target on carbon emissions and that the carbon tax created a "perverse outcome" by shifting jobs offshore.

We can learn from the experience of Europe where they tried the same thing, only to see their aluminium smelters and similar activities go offshore to Africa and elsewhere. Does anybody in this chamber actually believe that those new smelters in those other countries are delivering less C02 emissions than they were in Europe? Of course not.

5.22am BST

A government question to finance minister Mathias Cormann: I refer to statements by power regulators that prices will be lower in 2014 and 15 without the carbon tax. minister, how will scrapping the carbon tax lower power bills for all Australians?

Cormann uses the question to contrast statements by new WA senator Joe Bullock saying Labor was scrapping the carbon tax on March 20, 2014, "the very same day that Labor was voting in this chamber to keep it".

5.19am BST

Won't the GP Tax act as a barrier for women receiving life-saving treatment, for some women who simply can't afford to pay?

Nash:

The reasons why we have had to make some tough decisions is because of their budget mess that the previous Labor Government gave us.

5.17am BST

A Labor question to Fiona Nash: Is the minister aware that women with a breast lump requiring investigation would routinely need at least two visits to the doctor, an ultrasound, a mammogram, an ultrasound biopsy, blood samples and a pathology test. Can the Minister confirm a woman with a breast lump would be $90 out of pocket given the combined $7 GP tax?

Nash cannot confirm the figures.

It is a matter for the clinicians whether or not they choose to charge the co-pay. As somebody with a family history of breast cancer, I am the person most likely to be aware of these issues and to not trivialise it and to be well aware of what is necessary.

5.14am BST

A government question to Eric Abetz:

Will the minister advise how the new senate provides the opportunity to deliver the agenda on which it was elected to build a strong prosperous economy for a safe Australia?

It now falls to this new senate to deliver to the Australian people those policies for which the Australian people voted last September...I therefore congratulate all new senators and also invite all new senators to reflect on the wishes of the people of Australia in electing them to this place and to respect the agenda on which the Australian people elected this government.

This is directly aimed at the crossbenchers. Don't stand in our way.

Also note the emphasis has changed to a "safe Australia". The message is safe from boats. Safe from terrorists.

5.07am BST

Question time begins:

Assistant health minister Fiona Nash is asked about a Sydney University study which shows the government GP tax deters the vulnerable from seeking GP care.

In successive governments for 50 years there has been acknowledgement there needed to be a co-payment and this Government will ensure that we have a sustainable health system into the future and the budget is going to relate to ensuring that happens.

5.01am BST

Axing the carbon tax was bipartisan, says Abetz

The Leader of the government Eric Abetz in the senate chamber. Photograph: Mike Bowers

4.54am BST

From sawdust to bulldust?

Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party senator Ricky Muir with his family after being sworn in as a senator in Parliament House. Photograph: Mike Bowers

4.51am BST

Having failed to fast track the carbon tax repeal debate, the government is now seeking to suspend standing orders to have another crack.

4.48am BST

Lunchtime politics wrap: politics live

The immigration minister Scott Morrison has confirmed the government returned 41 asylum seekers to Sri Lanka, having intercepted them west of the Cocos Islands in late June.

Twelve new senators were sworn in before the governor-general Peter Cosgrove, including six new crossbenchers and the government is currently bringing on the carbon tax repeal debate.

Clive Palmer has confirmed he will only support the Coalition's Direct Action climate change policy if the government supports his zero-rated emissions trading scheme.

Palmer also labelled Queensland premier Campbell Newman a "Nazi" for expressing surprise that police have not launched a formal investigation into allegations Palmer used $12m in Chinese funds during the election campaign.

Liberal senator Stephen Parry has been elected president of the senate and he committed to ensure the parliament remains independent of executive government.

4.36am BST

For the record, this is the list of bills in the carbon tax repeal package.

The list of carbon tax repeal bills is being read into the senate record. Debate will begin today.

Don't forget question time is at 2pm.

Updated at 4.35am BST

4.32am BST

The senate is now voting that the carbon tax repeal bills can proceed without formalities.

While the vote was happening, Liberals Mitch Fifield and Eric Abetz were negotiating with the PUP team.

On these procedural matters, Leyonjhelm, Day and Madigan is voting with the government. (Those three are supporting the carbon tax repeal, so they were voting to essentially speed up the process.) PUP senators, Xenophon and Muir all voted with Labor and the Greens.

Dio Wang goes to the front benches to speak to Lazarus but is told by the president not to move during the vote.

4.20am BST

Clive Palmer is asked about the party rules under which his members would be disciplined?

Our party rules are more about love than discipline ... I'm not the boss.

The Palmer United Party name was only used because they could not get the United Australia Party name. It will revert to that name, according to Palmer.

I'm just an ordinary member.

Updated at 4.25am BST

4.14am BST

Palmer just confirmed he will only support Direct Action if the government supports his zero-rated emissions trading scheme.

4.11am BST

OK, so having de-linked his support for an ETS as a condition of voting down the carbon tax, Clive Palmer has now thrown it into negotiations over the future of Direct Action. Palmer said on #PalmGore day that he was not a supporter of Direct Action but now it appears he will consider supporting some elements of DA in return for getting his zero-rated ETS up.

Palmer spoke about a meeting with environment minister Greg Hunt last night.

We certainly spoke about the need to have an ETS ... and we said that our support for Direct Action would be very much dependent on how they dealt with the ETS issue and they're going to have a look at that I think.

4.05am BST

Palmer downplayed the potential for his three senators to break ranks on particular issues. He said Labor understood that "solidarity together can achieve more for the people of Australia".

It was "wishful thinking" by the government to think it would be able to split the PUP senators, he said.

I don't think any of our senators will ever vote against each other.

4.04am BST

Clive Palmer has indicated his party will support the repeal of the mining tax, but cannot support some aspects of the legislation including the scrapping of the schoolkids bonus. The condition poses a new obstacle for the government.

Palmer said the treasurer, Joe Hockey, had lied about the state of the economy, saying Australia's debt was low by international standards and the nation had AAA credit ratings.

We can well afford to deal with the school kids bonus … We will be stopping it. It won't be repealed.

4.02am BST

Christine Milne says in 50 years, Australians will look back and ask why politicians voted down the emissions trading scheme at a time when the science is so clear. Milne says the costs of climate change are increasing every day, with clean up funds for floods and amelioration funding for droughts.

We will all be judged.

3.58am BST

Clive Palmer on the Sri Lankan refugees:

My criticism at the moment is that we don’t know and the minister for immigration needs to make it clear to the Australian public what’s exactly happened and what the government policy is. Because I don’t think it’s Australian government policy to not follow international conventions when dealing with asylum seekers. If people seeking refuge in this country have been returned by force to the country they’re fleeing from, it’s a breach of that convention.”

3.55am BST

Clive Palmer is responding to reports that Queensland premier Campbell Newman wassurprised that police have not begun formal investigations into allegations that Palmer used $12m in Chinese funds in the last election.

Earlier in the day, Palmer described Newman as a Nazi and alleged he wants to use the "Gestapo".

Look at his popularity. He’s just below (where) Hitler was when he got elected.

Palmer gave an account of a meeting attended by Palmer and his deputy Jeff Seeney and said Glenn Lazarus would be moving to set up a senate select committee inquiry into "what's going on in Queensland".

Updated at 3.56am BST

3.42am BST

Clive Palmer has delivered a very short 10 minute address to the National Press Club. The first question is on the Sri Lankan asylum seekers and Palmer called on Scott Morrison to provide the Australian public with more information.

3.41am BST

Penny Wong has risen to speak against the government's move to bring on the carbon tax repeal. She is trying to drag the budget front and centre, particularly in light of dreadful Newspoll figures in Western Australia and Queensland.

3.38am BST

Speak of the devil. Clive Palmer is just starting at the National Press Club. He is going over his #PalmGore position. That air moves around the world, that we all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children's future and he will vote down the carbon tax.

He will also move an amendment to establish a new zero-rated emissions trading scheme but given it is not a requirement to help the government repeal the carbon tax, it is unlikely to see the hazy light of day.

3.34am BST

This Senate debate will go on for a while but we know that Clive Palmer has confirmed his senators will support the committee report coming forward early so the government will win.

Abetz is telling the senate Labor and the Greens "had their fun" last month, but now it's time to concede and stop frustrating the will of the Australian people.

3.26am BST

Eric Abetz answers Moore on bringing on the carbon tax debate:

This government is seeking to have the carbon tax repealed. That was the bipartisan position of prime minister Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott at the last election.

Moore says it is not appropriate to go into the full carbon tax repeal debate without the evidence contained within the environment committee's report on the issue. She says some senators met with a group of young people representing the Australian Youth Climate Coalition outside the parliament who told them:

It is your decision, it is our future.

3.15am BST

Liberal senator David Bushby has moved that environment committee be authorised to hold an extra meeting today so that it can present the carbon tax repeal legislation report early. Labor's Claire Moore is speaking against the motion because there are new senators who have not heard the debate in the chamber.

It is important to start the debate together.

3.10am BST

PUP senator Glenn Lazarus has advised the senate he will be PUP leader in the senate, with Jacqui Lambie as deputy leader and Dio Wang as party whip.

3.04am BST

Labor Senator Gavin Marshall has been appointed deputy president and chair of committees.

3.02am BST

The senate bells are ringing to call senators back from their meeting with the governor general. The carbon tax repeal debate is expected, as is the normal question time at 2pm.

Seasoned independent senator Nick Xenophon was making the point this morning that crossbenchers should not support any attempts by government to cut off the debate. Crossbenchers in both houses have traditionally voted against the guillotine in the interests of transparency.

There will be a debate on the carbon tax whether the committee stage will be truncated and the deal will be brought on more quickly. All I urge my cross bench colleagues to do, is don’t agree to a guillotine of the debate. That’s a bad look. The senate is meant to be a house of review – a genuine house of review – it’s not meant to be a rubber stamp of the government of the day.

He also had a little general advice for new senators.

I think my advice to my new colleagues is trust no one and have a good BS detector.

2.49am BST

Who has the biggest bible?

Senator Scott Ryan is sworn in with his 1880s family bible, with Labor's Jacinta Collins. Photograph: Mike Bowers

Liberal senator Scott Ryan and National senator John Williams were competing this morning for bibles to rival the tablets. Ryan told Mike Bowers they had measured and he came out on top though we have not had that confirmed by Williams.

A vote is currently underway for the president of the senate. Labor is not putting up a candidate, according to the convention that it is the privilege of government. Christine Milne says give it up and vote for Scott Ludlam. Major parties are so last century. But the government will prevail.

Deputy prime minister and National party leader Warren Truss and Clive Palmer are watching the senate ceremony in the special seating at the back of the chamber. These two will go head to head for votes in regional Australia over the coming years.

1.26am BST

Another Brick in the senate wall

PUP Senator Glenn Lazarus is sworn in as a new senator this morning at a ceremony in the Senate chamber of Parliament House. Photograph: Mike Bowers

1.24am BST

Greens leader Christine Milne has nominated fellow Green Scott Ludlam as president of the senate. Ludlam makes the point that just because the president has always come from a major party, the crossbenchers should be represented, especially when such a large number hold senate positions.

Government leader of the senate Eric Abetz nominates senator Stephen Parry, who is the current deputy president.

1.20am BST

WA senators are taking an affirmation or oath now, depending on your proclivity. Labor senator Joe Bullock, PUP's Dio Wang and Liberal senator Linda Reynolds are the new senators. Bullock was in the first spot on Labor's senate ticket, which left Louise Pratt in the less winnable spot. She gave her valedictory in the last sitting week.

1.16am BST

Victorian senators now with PUP senator Ricky Muir and Janet Rice of the Greens the new senators signing the roll.

1.14am BST

Sir Cosgrove enters...

The Governor General, General Sir Peter Cosgrove arrives for the swearing of new Senators this morning. Photograph: Mike Bowers

1.12am BST

Tasmania to come. Jacqui Lambie, in her trademark yellow jacket, is the only new senator.

1.09am BST

South Australia up now. Bob Day of Family First is new. Day has already announced he is lining up as a bloc with Leyonjhelm.

1.08am BST

Queensland senators are called up next. Matthew Canavan and James McGrath of the LNP, Chris Ketter of the ALP and Glenn Lazarus of PUP are the newbies.

1.05am BST

Some have their own bibles. John "Wacka" Williams has a huge - I assume - bible. Labor's Deb O'Neill is also there as Bob Carr's replacement.

1.03am BST

Cosgrove has asked honourable senators to come to the table to take the oath. NSW senators asked to come forward first. David Leyonjhelm joins re-elected senators for the first "swearing in".

1.01am BST

The senators are in da house. Governor general Peter Cosgrove has asked for the swearing in....

1.00am BST

The bells are ringing for the senators...

12.55am BST

And while we are on to Penny Wong, PUP senator Jacqui Lambie revealed her admiration for senator Wong in an excellent profile by Samantha Maiden. Lambie detailed a sometimes turbulent past, a back injury, an attempt on her own life an alcohol abuse. But she named Wong and Margaret Thatcher as her political heroes.

I think Penny Wong is the same she can hold her own. I’ve watched her in the Senate and I tell you what she doesn’t back down and she wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s very sweet. I like her.’

This morning Wong said she was flattered and said she was not often on the same list as Margaret Thatcher.

Women in politics as we know do have to hold their own and Jacqui demonstrates her capacity to do that and good on her.

Lambie also gave a backhander to incoming Labor senator Joe Bullock, who she says, snubbed her at senate kindy training.

12.37am BST

Carabine also asked Wong, did Labor comply with "ethical and legal obligations" when it returned more than 1000 Tamils to Sri Lanka under the "enhanced screening process"? What moral authority does Labor have to criticise?

Are you suggesting we didn't comply with the refugee convention because no one has put that to me, says Wong.

The government is also saying they are complying with the refugee convention, countered Carabine.

Then they should explain how.

12.30am BST

Penny Wong was also critical of the government's release of information on the Sri Lankan refugees in news reports and urged Scott Morrison to update the parliament through his senate representative Michaelia Cash today.

Remember only the senate is sitting today. The lower house will meet tomorrow for the address of the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.﻿

12.23am BST

Leader of the Opposition Penny Wong has been prosecuting Labor's case to delay the carbon tax repeal vote until the original July 14 debate date.

ABC's Ali Carabine asked Wong, given the government has the numbers and has campaigned for years to axe the tax, aren't you just being a nuisance?

I know coalition governments might think the democratic process might be a nuisance but I believe the senate is an important part of our democracy. That's why so many more Australians voted for non-government senators.

Mike Bowers has been out early this morning and he caught up with Clive Palmer, who has resorted to hiring a meeting room at the National Press Club for his party room meetings. He has requested more resources from the prime minister's office for the job but in the meantime he will be getting together with his new senators at the NPC. Which is handy because he is giving a lunchtime address down there today on life and the new senate.

12.02am BST

As Australia attracts the international opprobrium for its increasingly tough asylum seeker policy - including from the United Nations and the New York Times - immigration ministerScott Morrison has finally confirmed the details of one of the boats.

It appears he has dropped a few deets to The Daily Telegraph last night about one of the boats and then put a statement out this morning.

Australian border protection officials have handed 41 Sri Lankan nationals, including four Tamils, over to Sri Lankan authorities in a transfer at sea.

Morrison said a “suspected illegal entry vessel” was intercepted by Border Protection Command west of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in late June, and at no stage was the boat in distress and all persons aboard were safe and accounted for.

Morrison, who will visit Sri Lanka this week, did not mention the fate of a second boat reported to be carrying up to 153 Tamil people. Morrison says the "potential" illegal arrivals were assessed at sea and only one of them warranted further investigation.

In the single case where such a referral was recommended, the individual, a Sinhalese Sri Lankan national, voluntarily requested to depart the vessel with the other persons being transferred and returned to Sri Lanka.

11.36pm BST

Bonjour blogans,

Here we all are on the first sitting day of the new senate. And hasn't it come around quickly. It has been 10 months since the Coalition won office and Tony Abbott must have been counting the sleeps until the senate turns over so he can tick the box: Axe The Tax. We know he has been counting the days because the parliament does not normally sit in July but such was the anticipation in Coalition ranks that they designating the two sitting weeks in the usual winter recess to knock off the carbon tax and the emissions trading scheme.

For the record, the new senators are:

Joe Bullock (ALP, WA)

Matthew Canavan (LNP, QLD)

Bob Day (Family First, SA)

Chris Ketter (ALP, QLD)

Jacqui Lambie (Palmer United, TAS)

Glenn Lazarus (Palmer United, QLD)

David Leyonhjelm (LDP, NSW)

Dio Wang (Palmer United, WA)

James McGrath (LNP, QLD)

Ricky Muir (AMEP, VIC)

Linda Reynolds (LIB, WA)

Janet Rice (Greens, VIC).

The ritual is this: swearing in the new senators at 9.45am and then proceed straight on to the carbon tax. The fly in the ointment is that the senate was due to debate the carbon tax repeal on July 14 when the opposition-dominated senate committee hands down its report on the legislation. The government, however, wants to bring it on early for two reasons.

1. To send a clear message they have fulfilled an election promise.

2. To draw attention to a win in a political landscape that looks rather barren in light of an electorally stinky budget.

So, in order to Bring It On, the government is expected to suspend standing orders in the senate to debate the carbon tax repeal legislation. This package of bills has been debated twice before and has been knocked back. Now that Clive Palmer has confirmed his senators will vote for the repeal and the execution of the emissions trading scheme, the government will have the numbers with Bob Day, David Leyonhjelm and Democratic Labour Party senator John Madigan.

Stay with us through the day. Already you can see the excellent efforts of Mike Bowers who was being shoo-ed out of Clive Palmer's meeting with his senators at the National Press Club.

And there is oh so much more to come. We have the details of the 41 Sri Lankan refugees handed back to their own government like so much lost cargo. There is the visit by the Japanese prime minister, a mass door stop by the National Party and a Palmer presser at the National Press Club.

If you are a tweep, you can join our conversation with me @gabriellechan and @mpbowers or jump in below and share your thoughts on the day as it unfolds.